Holder for paper cups



May 23, 1950 H. CAREW 2,509,132

HOLDER FOR PAPER CUPS Filed Nov. 15, 1943 2 sneaks-sheet 1 Lg E472 U5May 23, 1950 c w 2,509,132

HOLDER FOR PAPER cups Filed Nov. 15, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May23, 1950 HOLDER FOR PAPER CUPS Herman Carew, Easton, Pa., assignor toDixie Cup Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationNovember 15, 1943, Serial No. 510,311

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a holder for paper cups aswell as to the combination of a paper cup and holder, such as is highlydesirable for use in drug, confectionary, and stores of similarcharacter wherein individual soft drinks, sodas, and the like aredispensed, although the invention may have other uses and purposes aswill be apparent to one skilled in the art.

The instant application is a continuation-inpart of my co-pendingapplication entitled Paper cup and holder therefor, filed March 8, 1941,Serial No. 382,300, now abandoned, and the broader or generic claimscovering this invention are contained in that co-pending application.

It has long been desirable to use paper drinking cups or vessels in a,holder at soda fountains and similar locations where individual softdrinks and the like are dispensed. The use of such apparatus results ina material saving of labor in that the paper cup is destroyed after eachusage and if the holders and cups are of proper relative sizes, the cupsproject sufliciently far out of the holder as to avoid any contact ofthe lips of the user with the holder, so that the holder need be washedonly very infrequently.

In the past, extreme difficulty has been experienced in maintaining thecup within the holder until it has been used by a customer. When theholder was .tipped sufficiently during drinking to enable the customerto drain the contents of the cup, there was extreme danger of some ofthe contents as well as the cup becoming free of the holder andcascading down' over the wearing apparel of the user. Prior to myaforesaid co-pending application either the cup rested loosely in theholder or some mechanical means were utilized to maintain the cup in theholder, but these means required either a definite and tediouspositioning of the cup relatively to the holder, or some manipulation ofthe holder by the operator. In the event the holder automaticallyengaged the rim of the cup, no manipulation was necessary, but suchmeans were extremely objectionable in that there was danger of theuser's lips or the contents of the cup contacting that portion of theholder, and so the holder had to be washed after each usage and therewas no saving in labor over the use of the customary glass. In the caseof conical paper cups. of a size to hold an ice cream soda or somesimilar confection, the danger of the cup falling out of the holder ontothe ap parel of the user was aggravated by virtue of the top-heavycharacter of the cup. A highly satisfactory solution to this problem hasbeen presented and claimed in my aforesaid co-pending application, theinstant application is directed to another specific solution of the sameproblem.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a holder for apaper cup, especially a conical paper cup, designed to receive the papercup apex first and establish a firm engagement with the cup sufiicientto prevent accidental dislodgment of the cup, regardless of the natureor structure of the paper cup, the engagement resulting by a relativesubstantially axial move! ment between the cup and the holder.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a holder fora paper cup-which holder includes a formation defining a cup receivingcavity, with means projecting into that cavity from the wall thereof toestablish an engagement with the received cup.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a holder for a papercup, especially a conical paper cup, which holder embodies a formationdefining a cup receiving cavity, and, includes means projecting intothat cavity from the wall thereof to provide a biting engagement withthe wall of the cup.

It is also an object of thisinvention to provide a holder for a papercup, especially a conical paper cup, which holder includes a formationdefining a cup receiving cavity with a plurality of projectionsextending into the cavity from the wall thereof, the projections beingspaced apart sufliciently so that each projection provides its ownindividual and separate gripping indentation in the wall of the receivedcup.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a holderfor a paper cup which includes a formation defining a cup receivingcavity with means projecting into the cavity from the wall thereof inthe nature of individual-separated projections, each of which has aninner surface disposed obliquely so that said surface slopes bothdownwardly and inwardly.

Still a further feature of the invention resides in the provision of aholder for a paper cup, especially a conical paper cup, which holderembodies a formation defining a cup receiving cavity, and projectionsextending into said cavity from the wall thereof, each projection beingobliquely shaped at its inner end, with the under.

surface of the projection extending substantially horizontally so as toprovide both a somewhat biting efiect and a shoulder efiect for holdingthe cup within the holder.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a holder fora paper cup, especially a convolutely wound paper cup, with separatedprojections extending into the cup receiving portion of the holder fromthe wall thereof, said projections being sufiiciently numerous so thatat least one will engage over the exposed edge of one of theconvolutions of the cup in a latching manner a'ndthus retain the cup inthe holder against accidental 'dislodgment, such engagement being eifected regardless of the relative circumierential position of the cupand holder at the time they are joined.

Still a further object of the invention resides in the provision of aholder for a'paper'cup,

especially a conical paper cuppwhich hcl'derembodies a formationdefining an open bottomed tubular cup receiving portion, the apexialportion of the conical cup extending through the opening in the bottomof said portion, and-the holder being provided with an annular series ofseparated and :spaced projections'extending' from the 'wall of saidportion directly into the cup receivingcavity near the bottorn'thereofto establish a tight frictional engagement with the cup wall sufiicientto prevent accidental-dislodgm'ent of the cup.

stilliia further=object=of this invention resides in the provision of anovel combination of a conicalxpaper :cup and: a iholderither'efor,Tithe holder being r arranged ':to effect a positive 'engagement withlthe cup, and regardless 'of the constructionof the' cup, upon an axial'movement between theuzup and the holder without the need 6f anycircumferential registrybetween the articles.

While some of the'more salient features, characteristics an'd advantagesofth'e present invention-'have been poin'tedoutyothers will be apparentfrom the following disclosures, taken in conjunction withtheaccompanying'drawings, in which:

' Figure l is a top'plan view of'a *cup holder embodying the principlesof this invention;

Figure 2 is -a central vertical sectional view through the holder ofFigure 1, illustrating "a conical paper cup in the holder in elevation,and 'show'ing'parts of the holderin elevation, for-purposes of clarity;

Figure -3 is a transverse "plansectional view through the holder itselftaken substantiallyas indicated by theline'III-III of Figure '2;

Figure 4 is a'fra gmentary enlargementof the lower right-hand centralportion of'Figure'Z;

Figure 5 is aside elevational'view o'f-the cup seen in Figure'2turned'to' the 'left approximately ninety degrees 'from'thepositionseen' in Figure "2, illustrating diagrammatically the effect onthe cup of its engagementin' 'the holder;

Figure 6 is avlews'im'ilar in character to Figure 2, illustratingaholder' in section taken substantially asindicated by the line VI'VI ofFigure 3, and illustrating acup-ofsomewhat diiferent constructionthan-the cupof Figure 2in position in the holder,'-the effect of theengagement with the holder on the 'cupbeing indicated diagrammatically;and

Figure '7 is -a fragmentary enlargement similar in character to Figure 4illustrating the engagementbetween-the holder and cup of Figure '6.

'As shown on the drawings:

*In connection with paper cups'and holders'for the-individualdispensingof soft drinks and the like, itis desirable 'that'theattendant at the soda fountain never need'contact'a paper cup withhis'handspriortd the use of the'cup by the customer, and it is furtherdesirable that thea'ttcnfdlchanical part of the holder to establish suchen- -gagement. Not only is it a waste of time, but itiis'hi'ghlyc'onducive to carelessness in handling,

and results frequently in a cup that is not held Within'the holderpandmore frequently results in "the attendant'taking the paper cup in hisnaked hands and placing it in the holder in proper position. istated'above, the desirable way is for the attendant merely to grasp theholder, place 'it over a cup with an axial movement, and the latchingengagement isestablished. Most frequently-especially with conical cups,the cups are kept in ---a-'suit-able holder'in inverted position, apexesup, and thecups are stacked in nested relationship so as to 'conservespace. The attendan'tthen merely grasps the holder near thebottomfihvertsit, places it over the uppermost inverted cup on thestack, and without at all touching thecup' picksthe cup up with-theholder, the latching engagement having been establishedupontheapplication'of the holder with aislight pressure. This lattercourse is the manner in which the instant invention operates.

In the drawings, I have illustrated the same holder associated with twoconical cups of different constructiomto bringout more forcibly the factthat the holder operates satisfactorily withoutre'gard'to the particularconstruction of the cup, although 'a IIIIOIG'DOSitiVG engagement mightbe established with a cup of the character seen in Figures? and 35, thanwith the cup seen in Figure 6.

With reference now to Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, it willbeseen thattheholder selected for .illustratiomiindicatedbynumeral I maybergenerally of hour-glass shape and formed of .any suitable material,such as aplastic. The holder, if so desired, maybe'provided with asuitable handle 2although' the handle is not necessary, it being easytcigraspthe holder'in the waist portion and elevate'the cup to themouth. "Theholder itself isgpreferablytubular, thateis having an openingcompletely therethrough, to .facilitate cleansing when cleansingisnecessary. .Theupper portion of the holder'isrformedtoidefine acupreceiving cavity thaving a bottom opening 4, seen in Figure 1.Thiscavityis partiallydefined by a tubular extensioni spacedfromtheouter end lower portion 6 01" the holder whiclris flared to form asuitable base.

In connection with conical paper cups, ithas been found'desirable toeffect the engagement between'the cup and the holder with the apexialregion ofithe cup'thereby adding to the stability of'the'cup andholderboth when the cup is empty and whenitis filled withsome commodity.To this'e'nd, near the bottomof the cavity 3.an annular series ofpinsflhas beenembedded in the wall of theholder,..in the illustratedinstance, each pinextending withinboth the tubular extension 5 and theouter .wall portion 6. These pins may also be of any suitable material,and in the illustrated instance, the pins are shown as metaland'aslinserted in a smooth bore drilledin the holder wall.

-It will be'note'd that the'inner end of each pin is cut off obliquelyas indicated at 8 so that such inner end slopes both downwardly andinwardly toward the axis of the holder. Each pin projects beyond theinner wall defining the cavity 3 and extends into the'cavity, as clearlyseen in Figure 2. The under side of each pin extends substantiallyhorizontally and the cutting of the inner edge ends abruptly so thatthere is a shoulder formation as indicated at 9 in Figure 2 on each pin.It will also be noted that the lower edge portion of the pin adjacentthe shoulder is rela-' tively sharp soas to'resist an outward movementof the cup after engagement has once been established. I

; The pins 1 are fixed in position so as to form substantially anintegral portion of the holder wall. Further, the pins are preferablyspaced sufficiently apart-and so sized, to form projections within thecavity each capable of making individual and separate indentations inthe wall of a cup. The projections or pins may be of any desired number,and are preferably equally spaced apart. In the illustrated instance,there are six projections or pins shown, and this number is highlysatisfactory for practically every cup.

With reference to Figures 2 and 5, it will be seen that the cup Illshown-associated with the holder is a convolutely wound conical papercup made from a single'blank of material. The single blank maybe ofsubstantially a sector shape, and may be wound 'from' one side edge tothe other, the large arc of the blank defining the mouth edge of thefinished cup. Thus, overlapping portions of the blank are provided, andthese portions are preferably held together by a suitable adhesive. Theedge of the outer overlappingportion of the blank definesa'substantially convolute line around the container as indicated at Hand it will be noted that a portion of this edge as indicated at l2 inFigure 5 approaches the horizontal in its travel for at least a partialrevolution about the cup. Such edge portion Hl2 will be Slightly freefrom the inner part of the cup, because the glue holding the overlappingportions together should not be brought completely to the edge of theouter overlapping portion to avoid any danger of glue being squeezedonto the exposed surface of the cup during the forming. operation andthus adhere to the next adjacent cup in a stack of nested cups.Consequently, the glue is kept back from the very edge and so the edgeportion lI-l2 is free from the inner wall of the cup.

When theholder is placed axially over a paper cup, either the uppermostcup of an inverted Preferably these projections are sufiicient innumber, and six is a satisfactory numberfor this purpose, so that atleast one of the pins or projections will engage over the edgeportion Hof the cup as indicated at l3 in Figures 2 and 5 and as seen veryclearly in Figure 4 so that 'a latching engagement is provided betweenthatparticular projection or pin and the paper cup. As the cup is pushedinto the holder or the holder pressed over the cup, the edge portion I2will flex in passing the projection, and then expand into engagementbeneath the horizontal under edge of the projection. It is not necessarythat at the point of such latching engagement the 6. to the horizontal,but only sufficiently closely to the horizontal to permit a holdingengagement, as'illustrated at 13 in Figure 2. Thus, the cup may be heldin the holder against accidental dis lodgment by the one or twoprojections latchingly'engaged over'the edge of the outer convolution ofthe cup. However, the other projections'do not result in wastedeffort,these projections also. frictionally engaging the wall of the cupin amanner tending to resist outward movement of the cup. After use,when the cup is withdrawn from the holder against the action of theholding elements for disposal, the effect of I the pins maybe notedonthe outside wall of the cup'as indicated at H in Figure 5. It will benotedlthat each of the pins has distorted the cup wall somewhat, whilethe pin engaged in a latching manner over the edge of the outerconvolution has caused a distortion of the paper adjacent thispoint.Such is what usually happens with a holder of this type, although it isunderstood that the showing in-Figure 5 of the effect of the pins on thecup wall is diagrammatic and that the actual effect will not beidentical with this disclosure at all times. However, the knife edge onthe projections or pins mainly caused by the horizontally extendingunder surface of the pins is usually 'sufiicient to cause a surfacedistortion of the container when the latter is removed from the holder.

It will be noted that'preferably there should be a proportioning ofsizes between the holder and the cup. That is, there would be adifferent size of holder 'for a cup approximately six ounces and for acup approximately twelve ounces. If

there is to be a latching engagement with one or more of the pins andthe edge portion of the cup, the cup should extend through the tubularpart 5 or through the opening at the bottom of the re ceiving cavity asufficient extent to provide such engagement. Likewise, the mouth end ofthe cup should project'sufflciently out of the holder so as to eliminatetheprobability of contact of the users lips with the holder so that theholder need to washed only very infrequently. The proportioning of sizesbetween cups and holders need not be carried out to any considerableextent, however, two or three sizes of holders being usually 'sufllcientfor complete soda fountain service.

In Figures 6 and '7 I have illustrated the use of the holder with a cupl5.of different construction than the, cup I!) above described. In thisinstance, the cup is conical, made of a single blank of material, but isnot convolutely wound. The blank may besomewhat of a sector shape, andthe'approximately radial edges are brought together with the marginsthereadjacent in overlapping relationship to form a straight side seam16 the parts of which may be held together with a suitable adhesive.

stantially as indicated at l! in the exaggerated showing seen inFigure'7. It will be noted that the pins or projections eachcauses itsown in-' dividual and separate indentation in the Wall of the cup' andthe effect is of a biting engagement with the .cupwall, as was the casewith the previously described showing and illustrated in an' exaggeratedmanner in Figure 4. Such biting engagementis sufiicient to hold the cupin. the

holder; against accidental dislodgment, and when :thecupvis.removedfromtheholder for disposal there will be at least-in most cases, a surfacedistortion of the pup Wall as indicated at in Figure 6., in the samemanner as previously discussed, this showing also being diagrammatic, Inthe event one of the pins or projections should contact the exposed edgeof the seam 1'6, it will provide an added holding of the cup by virtueof a distortion of this edge as indicated at l8 in Figure 6. However,this will happen only comparatively rarely, and is not necessary for theadequate holding of the cup.

In operation, with substantially any form of conical paper cup, it is asimple expedient to merely push the holder axially over the cup, exert aslight degree of pressure, and there is a sufficiently firm engagementbetween the cup and holder. In the event the cup is of the convolutetype, one or more projections of the holder will establish a latchingengagement with a part of the outermost convolution. In the event thecup does not have any convolutions, the biting engagement present at alltimes is amply suflicient to hold the cup against accidental dislodgmentduring use.

It will further be appreciated that the cups themselves are highlyeconomical, and the holder is of economical and extremely durableconstruction, and may be repeatedly used for a considerable time. Laboris saved by virtue of the fact that each cup is destroyed after oneusage, and the holder, not becoming dirtied or contaminated for a lengthof time, can be repeatedly used without washing. Fountain service ismaterially expedited with the aid of the present invention due to thespeed with which a holder may be placed over the terminal cup of thestack, and the cup withdrawn from the stack locked in the holder.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of constructionmay be varied through a wide range without departing from the principlesof this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theappended claims.

I claim as follows:

1. As an article of manufacture, a conical paper cup holder having anopen bottom cavity therein for the reception of a conical paper cup apexfirst, and an annular series of spaced pro-.- jeotions extending intosaid cavity in position to engage the wall of a conical paper cup, saidprojections each slanting oil downwardly and inwardly to provide arelatively sharp lower edge capable of biting into the wall of a cupextending through the open bottom of said cavity.

2. A holder for a conical paper cup, including a tubular portion shapedto receive therein a conical paper cup apex first and having an openingin the bottom through which the apexial region of the cup extends, and aplurality of spaced cup holding projections extending laterally inwardlybeyond the irmer wall of said tubular portion, said projections eachhaving an oblique inside face extending inwardly and downwardly so thelower edge is farther from the wall of said tubular portion than theupper edge.

3. A holder for a conical paper cup, said holder including a tubularportion to receive the cup therein apex first, and a plurality of spacedmetallic pins embedded in the wall of said tubular portion, said pinsbeing arranged in an annular series and having their inner ends cutobliquely to provide a relatively sharp lower edge 8. projectinginwardly farther than the upper edges thereof.

d. A cup holding receptacle, which comprises in combination a bodyportion and a base, a constricted wall area between said body portionand said base supporting a bottom end portion of a cup, and an annularseries of spaced projections disposed oppositely of each other withinsaid constricted area and frictionally engaging and indenting the sidewall portion of the cup bottom end to secure the same in fixed positionprior to and after said cup is up-ended during use in emptying itscontents.

5. In a holder for an initially completely empty comically shapedflexible-wall cup, a receptacle body portion of generally complementaryinside shape to that of the cup and having a supporting base portionjoined thereto by a constricted wall area supporting the bottom endportion of the cup spaced from the cup apex and defining an openingthrough which the apex extends freely, and annularly spaced inwardlyprojecting means at said constricted wall area for frictionally engagingthe outer surface of the empty cup bottom portion to secure the same infixed position in response to simple axial assembly movement of theholder to lodge said cup bottom portion against said constricted wallarea.

6. A holder for a paper cup, including a body part having a wall formingan open bottomed cavity for the reception of a, conical paper cup apexfirst, and metallic means supported by the wall of said body adjacentthe lower end of said cavity comprising an annular series of elementsprojecting inwardly beyond the wall of the cavity for automaticfrictional engagement with the wall of the cup to lock the cup in theholder against accidental dislodgement when the holder is pressedaxially over the terminal cup of a stack.

7. A holder for a paper cup, includinga body part having a wall formingan open bottomed cavity for the reception of a conical paper cup,

apex first, and metallic means supported by the wall of said bodyadjacent the lower end of said cavity comprising an annular series ofelements projecting inwardly beyond the wall of the cavity for automaticfrictional engagement with the wall of the cup when the holder ispressed axially over the terminal cup of a stack to lock the cup in theholder against accidental dislodgement, said elements having relativelysharp edges on their inner portions to in effect bitingly engagetheexternal cup wall.

8. A holder arranged to receive therein a convolutely wound conicalpaper cup having overlapping portions one of which provides an exposededge on the outside of the cup, said holder including a body portionhaving a wall defining a cavity therein to receive the conical cup apexfirst with the apex projecting below the cavity, and a series ofannularly spaced projections extending into said cavity from the wallthereof adjacent the bottom thereof, said projections being, sufficientin number so at least one will engage over the exposed edge on the cupupon axial relative movement between the cup and holder.

9. A holder for a paper cup, including a body portion having a tubularcup engaging wall defining a cavity for the reception of a completelyempty paper cup bottom first, and a plurality of projections extendingradially inwardly from points near the bottom of said cup engaging wall,each projection having an edge portion for automatic frictionalengagement with the wall of the empty cup upon a mere relative axialmovement between the cup and holder, and said projections extendinginwardly a, sufficient distance to distort the empty cup wall and insurea positive holding of the cup against accidental dislodgement while inuse in the holder.

10. A holder for a paper cup, including a body portion having a tubularcup engaging wall defining an open-bottomed cavity for the reception ofa completel empty paper cup bottom first, with the cup bottom projectingbelow the cup engaging wall, and a plurality of projections extendingradially inwardly from points near the bottom of said cup engaging wall,each projection having a relatively sharp edge for automatic bitingengagement with the outer wall of the empty cup upon a simple relativeaxial movement between the cup and holder to maintain the cup in theholder against accidental dislodgement.

HERMAN CAREW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Merrill Feb. 27, 1877 MilliganMay 1, 1877 Waters Jan. 1, 1889 Brown Feb. 23, 1897 Curtin May 11, 1915Bike et al May 18, 1915 White June 27, 1916 Lang Oct. 10, 1916 Hill Jan.23, 1917 Klin Sept. 4, 1917 Curtin June 14, 1921 Curtin Dec. 5, 1922Martin July 10, 1923 Curtin Apr. 8, 1924 Barbieri Dec. 7, 1926 BarbieriMay 28, 1929 Thomas Dec. 21, 1937 Rosay July 6, 1943

